Queensland Wins Historic Fourth Straight State of Origin Series
June 24, 2009
New South Wales played perhaps the worst half seen from the players of that state in ten years yet at halftime they were just 18-10 behind the Queensland team in State of Origin game two. Queensland went into the game with a 1-0 advantage after winning the opening match of the series in Melbourne.
The New South Wales blues basically let in three very soft tries. The first came after Greg Inglis went over from a short run in just the sixth minute. The next try for Queensland saw Israel Folau break through a tackle with ease near the 20 metre line before strolling over, this came following a spilt ball from David Williams.
Queensland scored again after another poor play from New South Wales. The Blues were trying to move the ball out of their defensive 20 metre zone when a pass went to ground. Two players from New South Wales tried to retrieve the ball but failed. In the end Darren Lockyer said thanks as he crossed the line to setup an 18-0 score.
From that moment the Blues could have easily thrown in the towel but thanks to a Jarrad Hayne intercept try they edged their way back into the match. It was Hayne again that saw the Queensland lead brought back to eight just before halftime. He managed to kind of fall sideways over the line from dummyhalf to score. The was some doubt about the try as the player playing the ball was thought to have interfered with the marker.
Minutes before the New South Wales try was scored Queensland had been denied what looked like a fair try to Ashley Harrison. Willie Tonga in going for the line held the ball up near his head, he managed to release the ball and it appeared to come off a Blues player and go forward. Harrison scooped the ball up from just on the try line and fell over. The video ref decided it was no try.
In the second half it was a different Blues team. They played with purpose and managed to get the score to 18-14 after a try to David Williams. The Manly star had a few Queenslanders attempting a tackle when he managed to pop out his arm to plant the ball over the line.
It was looking like the Blues would score a match winning try, but it was not too be. Just to rub salt into the wound Luke O’Donnel spilt the ball right in front of the posts. Cameron Smith swooped on the ball to go over. Billy Slater had setup the play when he batted down a short kick from Thurston, it was from this that O’Donnell made his error.
History has now been made as Queensland wins their fourth consecutive series, a first for State of Origin Rugby League football. A gutsy win by the Queenslanders showing once again the true State of Origin spirit.
Tough Loss for Canberra Raiders
June 14, 2009
The Cronulla Sharks have continued their run of improved form defeating the Canberra Raiders 24-22. The Raiders were ahead or level for all but two minutes of the match however they still did not manage to take the two competition points.
The first try of the match was scored by Tom Learoyd-Lahrs after six minutes. A conversion by Terry Campese made it 6-0. The Raiders went further in front after their second try in the 21st minute scored by Joel Monaghan.
The Sharks closed the gap with two tries in the 24th and 32nd minute only to see the Raiders edge away with a try to Harrison in the 35th minute. This made it 14-10 at half time.
In the second half the Raiders scored a converted try after just three minutes play. The conversion saw them with a good lead at 20-10. Unfortunately the Raiders could only manage to add a penalty goal to the tally while the Sharks scored three second half tries to snatch the match.
The key moment was when Paul Gallen crossed in the 78th minute to see a two-point lead to the Raiders turn into a two point deficit. That was how it ended.
The Sharks are now on 10 points just two behind the Raiders who are in 12th position on the NRL ladder. More importantly for both teams is that the eigth place team is on 16 points. The Raiders will be shattered after seeing this game slip from their grasp.
Controversy in NRL take 2
May 24, 2009
Just yesterday I was writing about controversial endings to NRL games recently. Well it has happened again. This time it is a penalty awarded against Manly’s Matt Orford.
To set the scene the score was 17-16 in favour of Manly who were on the Gold Coast playing the Titans. Preston Campbell had chipped ahead, put the ball on the toe again and as he chased the ball Orford came across and went down on the ball. The ref pinged Orford for obstruction and a minute later Scott Prince slotted the ball between the posts for two points. Game over!!
The Gold Coast took the match 18-17.
As I was watching the match my fist impression with this incident was that Orford had taken out Campbell. After seeing a replay I thought hmmm, he went for the ball, no penalty. Then again I saw another replay and this time thought in going for the ball the first move was to take out Campbell and then he got the ball.
The referee does not get all these replays so he has to be sure to make a call like he did. I can see how he came up with the decision. Manly coach Des Hasler sure did not. He was fuming after the match but he is biased.
Did you see the match? What do you think was the correct call? Leave your comments below.
Controversy Again in NRL
May 23, 2009
The Australian National Rugby League has seen its fair share of controversy this season. It is enough to have the financial crisis having a squeeze on sponsorship money, but when players stuff up that also hurts the game.
Recently there has the Matthew Johns sex scandal and just this week Cronulla’s Reni Maitua was banned for testing positive for a banned substance.
On the field there has also been plenty of controversy. Friday last week we witnessed a thrilling game between the Bulldogs and Saints which ended with a no try for the Bulldogs after the video ref ruled obstruction way back near the halfway line. Many were amazed by the call and the Bulldogs had a win snatched from their hands.
Last night there was once again an ending that puzzled fans. The Parramatta Eels were playing the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The scores were locked at 16 all after regular time. The match then went into golden point extra time. The Eels went close to grabbing the win as a Jarryd Hayne field goal attempt crashed off the crossbar.
As time wound down it appeared that the Rabbitohs would have one last shot at victory. A scrum was set about 10 metres out from the Parramatta line. There was nine seconds on the clock when the ref called time-off. Souths Craig Wing then went to grab the ball. As he did this the ref called time-on and just as Wing got back to the scrum the final hooter sounded. Game over.
Should the ref have waited until Wing had the ball and was standing at the scrum for starting the time again? Most would think so. The ref didn’t and the game was over. The teams get to share the points and the fans have something to talk about during the week.
What do you think should have happened? Leave your comments below.
Woman at Centre of Matthew Johns Sex Scandal was Bragging
May 14, 2009
I have just watched a story on Channel Nine news where a co-worker of the woman at the centre of the Matthew Johns sex scandal has come out and said that she was bragging about her sexual encounter with the Cronulla Sharks rugby league team.
The co-worker also said that it took five days before Clare went to police with her story. The co-worker said she was sickened by the way Clare behaved. There was no sympathy coming from her. Before going to police she was bragging about her exploits.
People in Christchurch were also showing some support for Matthew Johns.
Channel Nine’s Footy Show will be an interesting watch tonight as they cover the story in depth. Paul Vautin was on the news talking about his comforting hand on Johns’ shoulder in last weeks Footy Show. He has been criticized for his actions as some people managed to write into it that it was a condoning gesture.
Matthew Johns Sex Scandal
May 14, 2009
It seems that all that matters in sport at the moment is the Matthew Johns “sex scandal”, at least here in Australia.
This all comes from an incident seven years ago in New Zealand. Johns was part of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league team that was on a tour. The ABC show Four Corners blew the lid on this. It has been reported that he went back to a room with another player and a 19-year-old women. Then they were joined by a group of players. I read somewhere that they climbed in through a bathroom window.
Matthew Johns has now paid a big price for that incident. He has been sacked by the Melbourne Storm, and has been stood down without pay from his duties at Channel Nine.
Do you think it is fair that he has been singled out in this incident? I wonder what is the motive behind bringing it to light seven years after the event took place.
The New Zealand Police have released a press release to once again rule out re-opening the case.
Here is some of that release regarding the case. “Despite recent media and public interest into allegations surrounding members of the Cronulla Sharks team following their visit to New Zealand in 2002 Christchurch Police do not intend to reopen the investigation. No new information has come to hand since the matter was investigated seven years ago.”
A current rep player has come out and said he believes group sex among NRL players will continue and he feels that it is not something that players should not be told not to do. The player was speaking on the condition of anonymity was quoted as saying “We already have so many rules: we can’t drink on these days, we can’t go to these places, now we can’t have group sex. About the only thing we can do these days is go to club functions, and just hang around other players. That’s just isolating us more from the rest of the world, and it could lead to even more violent acts.”
With all that is going on at the moment what do you think of the players attitude?
I am not saying what Johns did is right or wrong, I can’t as I was not there, but I do think it is unfair that he has been singled out. Where are the other players?
Warriors Snatch Points From Manly
March 22, 2009
Manly the 2008 NRL Premiers are still winless after round two of the 2009 NRL season. The premiers were rocked by the Brent Stewart incident just before the season kicked off and did not look like winning their first round match, as more than likely they heads were elsewhere.
Today against the New Zealand Warriors Manly looked likely to claim their first win after being ahead 24-16 with 10 minutes left. Manly had started the match well going out to a 10-0 lead after a Michael Bani try after 7 minutes and Jamie Lyons try after 11 minutes.
After 25 minutes the Warriors had taken the lead and they took a 16-10 lead into the halftime break. Early in the second half Manly scored three tries to look like they would secure the points before a Brent Tate try on 70 minutes and a late Joe Ropati try levelled the scores. It was left to Denan Kemp to kick the conversion to take the match for the Warriors. As time ran out he did just that to give the Warriors a 26-24 victory.
In the other match on Sunday the Sydney Roosters turned around their first round thrashing at the hands of South Sydney to defeat the Canberra Raiders in Canberra. The final score was 28-4. The match was evenly poised at halftime with the Roosters up 4-0. The made a 24-0 run to seal the match. The Raiders scored a late consolation try as time ran out.
Brett Stewart has League in the headlines for the wrong reasons
March 8, 2009
Just as the NRL is set to launch the 2009 season Manly Sea Eagles player Brett Stewart has stolen the limelight. Unfortunately for the Rugby League community it is for all the wrong reasons.
According to reports Stewart is alleged to have assaulted a 17 year old girl in the stairwell of a unit complex near where the football player lives. After the incident the girl went to a nearby unit for assistance and the polic were called.
Stewart was released without charge after having been taken to Dee Why police station. An interim apprehended violence order was issued against Stewart. Under the terms of the AVO he was not able to return home due to the close proximity of his place to the location of the alleged victim.
Having seen this story make the news what do you think? Do you believe players are just spoilt superstars and need to have something drastic done to them to stop incidents like this taking place? Or is this part of everyday life and it is just that the players are now so closely monitored things like this are no longer swept under the carpet?
Also do you think it is fair to the individuals involved to have the incident all over the news? Should justice be allowed to be followed without trial by media?
Love to hear from you. You can leave a comment below.
New Zealand Warriors Sonny Fai the hero
January 10, 2009
Sonny Fai is still missing after being taken out to sea by a rip. He will be remembered as a hero and if not for him up to seven members of his family could have been lost on that tragic day earlier this week.
Warriors football manager Don Mann said the 20-year-old knew the dangers of the water and had told his family not to swim there before the tragedy occurred.
“Without Sonny being there, we could have had six or seven members of his family gone,” Mann said. “It’s fair to say Bethells Beach is the most dangerous beach in the Auckland region.
The day after Fai went missing at the Auckland beach his Warrior teammates all went to the beach to search for their teammate. As the hours passed it appeared likely that they had to face up to the fact that he was dead.
The night before Fai’s girlfriend had watched as he was swept out to sea after playing the role of a hero when he saved his family members from the dangerous waters.
New Zealand stuns Aussies to take the Rugby League World Cup
November 22, 2008
New Zealand has won their first ever Rugby League World Cup following a stunning 34-20 victory over Australia in Brisbane.
The win for the Kiwis was the first time since 1972 that someone other than Australia has won the Cup. Great Britain were successful in 1972.
The match saw a penalty try awarded to New Zealand just when Australia got back to within two points of New Zealand. With the score at 22-20 to New Zealand Australia’s winger Joel Monaghan was ruled to have taken out New Zealand’s Lance Hohaia. Billy Slater was close enough for some to think that there was doubt if Hohaia would have beaten Slater to the ball.
Slater had played well in the first half and setup tries for Darren Lockyer and David Williams. With just under 20 minutes remaining he had a brain snap when he decided to flick the ball inside when trying to prevent it going over the sideline. He then watched on helplessly as Benji Marshall grabbed the ball and dived over to give his team a 22-16 lead.
Adam Blair put the icing on the New Zealand cake when he scored a try four minutes from the end of the match. He collected the ball after a kick by New Zealand was knocked down before being kicked along the ground two more times before coming clear for Blair to take it from the ground with one hand to stroll over untouched.
Game over and New Zealand had a few minutes left to play before the partying began. As fulltime came Australia’s players were stunned. They had let the match slip away and with it the top ranking in Rugby League.
A truly memorable victory for the Kiwis.
